The Rivals-James Stephens

THE RIVALS

I heard a bird at dawn

Singing sweetly on a tree,

That the dew was on the lawn,

And the wind was on the lea;

But I didn't listen to him

For he didn't sing to me!


I didn't listen to him,

For he didn't sing to me

That the dew was on the lawn,

And the wind was on the lea!

I was singing at the time,

Just as prettily as he!


I was singing all the time,

Just as prettily as he,

About the dew upon the lawn,

And the wind upon the lea!

So I didn't listen to him,

As he sang upon a tree!


JAMES STEPHENS


Summary: 'The Rivals' by James Stephens is a short poem about two birds singing at dawn. One bird sings about the dew on the lawn and the wind on the lea, but the other bird doesn't listen because it is too focused on its own singing. The poem highlights the idea of competition and how it can cause individuals to miss out on the beauty around them.

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